Cushioning or shock-absorbing means



July E23 1949-' s. H. LANCHNER cUsHIoNINe on sHocK-AsoRBING MEANSl Filed Feb. 28, 1944,

Samuel. H. I Aucumm ....@zaz

Patented July '26, 1949 UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE CUSHIONING R SHOCK-ABSORBING MEANS Samuel H. Lanchner, New York, N. Y.

Application February 28, 1944, Serial No. 524,174

The present invention relates to. a torsional cushioning or shock absorbing means that is positioned between two separated parts that may be moved relatively one to the other under a sudden impact to which one or both may be subjected, for example, the axle and frame of an automobile or the like.

This invention is an improvement to the vehicle cushioning or shock absorbing device such as is the subject of Patent No. 1,710,809 granted to William C. Broadwell.

While the device of that patent is designed to absorb and cushion a, vehicle, to which it is attached, from the shock or impact to which it may be subjected when an axle of the vehicle is suddenly moved toward the frameI as a Wheel passes over an obstruction in its path, I have found that such device does not fully and evenly absorb the shock of the impact. Y

The present invention therefore contemplates the construction of a torsional cushioning and shock absorbing device that uniformly, evenly and in an improved manner absorbs and cushions the force of impact that may be transmitted between two comparatively freely suspended parts, which move relatively to one another under the impact.

The device of my invention is resistant to wear and has a comparatively longer life becauseI it is designed to absorb the force of impact evenly and not suddenly with great rapidity.

These, other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description and the drawing appended thereto in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a torsional cushioning and shock absorbing means according to my inventon;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view of a device according to my invention,` arranged for connection between two relatively moving parts;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view thereof.

Referring now to the drawing, a cushioning or shock absorbing means according to the present invention, generally indicated by the reference character Il) (see Fig. 1), comprises the inner element or hub I2, which may be cylindrical tube or rod, to the outer peripheral surface of which, at one end thereof, there is vulcanized, or other- Wise suitably connected or anchored an annular ring lll of resilient material, such as rubber or the like.

The outer peripheral surface of this resilient, annular ring I4, positioned at one end of the 9 Claims. (Cl. 267-21) cushioning or shock absorbing means l0, is likewise vulcanized or otherwise connected or anchored to the inner surface of an embracing member I6, also preferably formed from a cylindrical tube.

At the other end of my novel means Iii, I vulcanize or otherwise secure to the inner element l2, a second resilient annular ring I8, spaced from the ring lli, to which there is also vulcanized or otherwise connected or anchored a second embracing member 2i), also preferably formed from a cylindrical tube.

For reasons that will become apparent, the resilient ring Id and its embracing member It is preferably of somewhat greater length than the resilient ring i8 and its embracing member 2li and are spaced therefrom by the annular slot 22, the width of which is relatively short, for example, approximately 51g to 1A; of an inch.

Secured to kthe relatively longer embracing member It, as by the rivets 24 or suitably welded thereto, I provide a secondary shock absorbing means, in the finger 25, which extends over the relatively shorter member 20 between the lugs or stop members 28 and 30, secured to theembracing member 20 also as by the rivets 32 and 34 or suitably welded thereto.

The cushioning or shock absorbing means lil, thus far described, may be adapted by any suitable mechanism for connection to two parts that move relatively one to the other so that any shock to which they are subjected may be cushioned or absorbed by the meansl; for example, such means may be employed in connection with each wheel and the frame of an automobile or the like.

An example of a suitable connecting mechanism, is the more or less resilient and contractile member, the two corresponding parts 35 and 33 of which clamp or embrace the relatively longer member i6 so that they move together. The two clamping parts 36 and 38 are connected at one end together about the embracing member It by means of the nut and bolt assembly ill and are secured at the other end to a lever c2, as by means of the rivets 34. Y

I secure to the hub or innermm'ember i2 the yoke M also to move together, the arms 48 of which embrace the cushionlng'or shock absorb ing means l0, at the ends thereof. v Y

To secure the yoke member 46, for example, there may be provided in the interior of the hub I2 a securing bolt 50 the threaded ends of which extend from the hub and pass through suitable eyes 52 in each arm 48. .In order ,to clamp thel arms 48 against the ends ofthe hub l2, from which they are spaced by the Washers 54, I provide on each threaded end of the bolt the nuts S to lock the yoke thereto so that it will move with the hub l2, the connecting mechanism (36 and 38) likewise moving with the embracing member I5.

In operation therefore the yoke member fli is connected to one movable part, for example the chassis or frameof an automobile, and the lever G2 connected t the ether relatively movable part, which in the case of a vehicle and the like will then be the wheel axle. Since the wheel is subjected directly to the road impact and therefore the greatest force may be imposed thereon to cause it to move the greater distance, I prefer to connect the wheel axle to the outer embracing member. It will, of course, be -Vlin'dersto'od. this arrangement may be reversed, if so desired.

For example, it will be apparent that as a wheel of a vehicle passes over an obstruction one end of the axle is raised, t h`e lever 42 which is connected to the aille, will 'likewise be raised to cause corresponding rtti the embracing member l5 with resulting twisting of the ring lli.

The resilientl 'ring Iii 'will tend to torsionally resist the corresponding rotation of the embracing part I'S Vtlulis(caused by raising the lever 42, under the impact "o i vthe bstru ion,` the'yoke :t5 and the hub i2 remaining emparatively stationary.

However, Yii forjan'y reason, the yoke te is moved, the 'motionwtherbf and corresponding rotation of the nnb nl2 will be opposed t0 that of the member It and lever 42.

e In order t restrain the 'comparatively sudden (violent)v resistance rte 'impact incurred thereby, I have vprov the finger '26, which since it is Secured tothe embracing 'part i6, is moved with it toward tiife -stp ininber '28 'and against it. As the ringer 26 i'es the stop 28, it also will tend to be moved -'in the rotative direction assumed bythe 4ine-nber it. This thereby brings into play the tbiisional resistance o'f the second ring -IS which :opposes the 'corresponding movement of Ythe I20, to thus smooth out and make less sudden (vilent) and more uniform and even fthe :cushibni-'ng "eect of the shock absorbing means 5m. K Y

As the arm 4'2 rebounds inthe opposite direction, when the `wh"e1 is lreleased bythe road obstruction, `the resilient Ying il! 'is oppositely twisted "arid then tends Vtb trsionally resist this motion and absorb the shock imposed thereby.

At the Sametime the inger 2S is moved tcward and into eng-agement with the other stop memberi t force-it tti-move inthe same direction, the ring II8 tsially resisting this rebound Amvenrent 6r rotatin of the embracing part 20 'tn agai-n l'sinoth ont the shock imposed by the releaseffrornthe bbstuction. A

It Will Anew be recgniizd that the finger and stops/and the additional 'resilient ring tend to reduce and smooth brit the time rate of absorption of the-'force of thief-impact, to which the two relativelyA moving parts have been subjected, thereby providing a superior `cushioning and shock absorbing means.

In order to eliminate any fnoise that may occur by the Airiipactfof thef-'fingr against either of the stops 28 a'ndSD, Ipr'ferably cushion them by arranging on fthe adjacen't engaging sides thereofA the resilient, preferably rubber, pad like members and 60,

If desired, th'efres'ilient annuiarring l may be made frr'n {"a material th'altis more elastic than the Ymaterial 'frein which fthe other Vresilient annular 'ring 'i8 triade. Acli'i'erence in the many other combinations and modications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

,1. In a cushioning or shock absorbing means, a hub, a resilient ring secured to the outer surface of the hub at one end thereof, a member enclosing the resilient ring and secured thereto, a second resilient ring secured to the outer surface of the hub at the other end thereof, a second member enclosing the second resilient ring and secured thereto, fa pair of spaced stop members on the outer surface di the second enclosing member and va ii-heeren 'the 'outer 'surface 'of the first enclosing member and extending therefrom above the second enclosing' member be*- tween the two stop members.

2. The cushioning and shabk absrbihg means of claim l1, the met mentioned ring faire enclosing member spaced from the second ineiti'one'd ring and enclosing member.

3. The cushioning orsho'ek Y'afa'sorbing means of cla-im 1,-one of saidrlin'gs and enelosng members being of greater length "than the other 'of said rings 'and enclosing members.

4. The cushioning er shock absorbing ineans of claim l, the adjacentrsides for" the stop linembers and 'the having fa cn'shibnin'g lm'aterial secured thereon. Y

5. In a cushioning or shock "absorbing means, an inner member, -a resilient me'an's secured to said inner ym'e'mbe'r at @ne 'e'nd thr'e'f, an element embracing the said 'resilier-itlrneans, a second resilient means, secured lto s'aid linner member at the other 'endfthereo 'a secoh'd element embracing (the fsecend resilient means, a member on one Aof said Aelerrreritsand ine'ains Y'on the other oi said elemntsnrmallyspa'ced -fr'om said member and engaged 'the by te vform a lost motion connectin between the resii'ient imeans upon deforrning -fo'ne `of said resilient 'means lunder a strain imposed thereon. i

6. The cushioning j0i' shock absorbing means of claim 5, one of saidlrsilint means fand "embracing elements of 'fgrfeaiter Alength than the other Of said IYe'siiiiit 'meansantl embracing elements '7. In a cushioning or shock absorbing means, a shaft, a resilient torsion 2iii-'ng secured lthereon, a secondl resilientV Ttorsion ring `lsecured '-to 'the shaft, each bfsaid'" 'esilien't'torsion rings deformable upbn subjecting Sitft'o a4-strain, ran element secured Ttofeach `^o'f isa-iii iiien't ltorsion Trings, meanso'n cnefof saide ementsand-'secndlmeans on the other of-saidielemnts normally -fs'pac'ed thereifrbm, the said 1iii-st means Vfor engagement with 'the 4s'a-ijd 'second frnans '-'deforming :a said resilieh'tto'r'sih ring under a-strain imposed ring secured to the outer surface thereof at one end of the inner member, a second resilient ring spaced from the rst ring and secured to the outer surface of said inner member at the other end thereof, an element on one of the resilient rings to be secured to the other of said parts, a second element on the other of said resilient means, said resilient means deformable upon movement of one of said parts relatively to the other part, means on one end of said elements for engagement with means on the other of said elements to form a lost motion connection between the resilient rings upon deforming a said resilient ring under movement of one part relatively to the other part, said second means normally spaced from said rst means.

SAMUEL H. LANCHNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,069,270 Piron Feb. 2, 1937 2,092,613 O11ey Sept. 7, 1937 2,173,652 Lee et al Sept. 19, 1939 2,246,848 Hicks June 24, 1941 2,270,571 Woolson et al Jan. 20, 1942 2,270,572 Woolson et al. Jan. 20, 1942 2,409,501 Krotz Oct. 15, 1946 

